I've noticed the same thing with contractors—especially smaller outfits. When I had my bathroom redone recently, the plumber was fantastic at explaining things verbally but struggled to put it down clearly on paper. Paying in phases worked pretty well for me too, but I did feel a bit uneasy at first. To ease my mind, I ended up taking quick photos of each stage and jotting down notes myself. Maybe overkill, but it gave me peace of mind... Did you find contractors generally receptive to this phased approach?
I've worked with phased payments a lot, and honestly, most contractors are fine with it as long as expectations are clear upfront. But I gotta say, taking photos at every stage might be a bit much—at least from my perspective. A simple checklist or quick notes usually does the trick. Plus, too much documenting can sometimes make the contractor feel micromanaged... just something to keep in mind.
- Totally agree about clear expectations upfront—makes life easier for everyone.
- Had my first reno recently, and honestly, I went a bit overboard with the pics... contractor joked I was prepping for a documentary 😂.
- Learned quickly that a quick checklist was enough—saved my phone storage too.
- Good reminder tho, nobody likes feeling micromanaged... noted!
